Now It’s Easier to Get a Ride with Lyft
Lyft announced a new feature that will let you sync your phone’s calendar to the app, allowing the ride-sharing service to determine where you need to go.
Ride-sharing services like Lyft aim to make your trip from Point A to Point B as seamless and efficient as possible. You open the app, it detects your location, you input a destination, and your car arrives in minutes. When you reach your destination, you simply thank your driver and exit, without having to find your wallet or calculate a tip. Your credit card, which is already connected to the app, is automatically charged.
It’s a brilliant concept made easy by Lyft and its rival Uber. And people around the world have embraced the idea. In October 2016 alone, 17 million rides were completed through Lyft. But in an ongoing battle between the top ride-sharing services, Lyft just made the latest move.
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The company announced a new feature that will make ordering a car easier. You can now connect your Android’s native calendar to Lyft. By choosing the one-time option of integrating your calendar, Lyft will be able to pull your events and determine your destination. Let’s say it’s 11:30 and you have a meeting at noon. You open up the app to get a Lyft. Since the meeting location is already on the calendar, Lyft will suggest the address automatically. All you need to do is confirm. If you’re a regular Lyft user, this will save you the hassle of typing your destination address every time you’re headed to a meeting or appointment.
Keep in mind though that the app will only recognize full addresses— including city and zip code. So, if your calendar event simply lists the name of the hotel or the restaurant, Lyft will not be able to suggest a destination.
This update comes at a crucial moment for Lyft, which has experienced a recent boost in popularity due to its vocal opposition to the new American administration’s policies. The company has gone as far as donating one million dollars to the American Civil Liberties Union, which is engaged in a heated fight with the administration.
On the other hand, many have reacted unfavorably to Uber’s political connections. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was originally part of the economic advisory board for the presidency. Even though he has since stepped down from that role, many people disapprove of his involvement and the company’s lack of response to governmental policies. The rivals’ actions spurred a #DeleteUber campaign, with many deleting their Uber accounts in favor of Lyft.
With politics entering the conversation, it may be an especially contentious time for these ride-sharing rivals. But both companies will continue to improve their services to win the hearts of users. It’s only a matter of time before the next move, and we’re excited to see what it will be.